By The European Times | Created at 2026-09-02 05:56:35 | Updated at 2026-09-02 07:01:14
1 hour ago
In an unprecedented escalation of state-church tensions, the Armenian government has officially incorporated the removal of Catholicos of All Armenians and the structural reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) into its official five-year governance agenda for 2026–2031, reported on 26/08/2026 from Yerevan OCP News Service.
Approved by the Cabinet and forwarded to the National Assembly, the newly minted government program explicitly outlines a roadmap aimed at changing the leadership and management structure of the nation’s ancient institution.
According to the official document, the reforms are deemed necessary to “return the Church to the canonical field and eliminate its politicization.” Furthermore, the program asserts that state intervention is required to guarantee “spiritual security” and to prevent external forces from transforming the Church into a “stronghold for hybrid struggle.”
Removal of Leadership: The state intends to ensure the retirement or removal of the de facto head of the AAC, followed by the election of a temporary locum tenens.
Charter and Transparency: The adoption of a new Church charter to regulate clergy conduct, uphold established principles, and enforce strict financial transparency.
Social Integration and Re-election: The integration of clergy into the state social security system, culminating in the eventual election of a new Catholicos of All Armenians.
Defending the policy, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan argued that the institution under its current leadership had veered away from its proper canonical purpose. In his remarks, Pashinyan pointedly referred to the Catholicos by his secular birth name, Ktrich Nersisyan.
“The church, at the hands of Ktrich Nersisyan, has been taken outside the canonical framework, and there is an agenda here that must be addressed,” Pashinyan stated following the Cabinet’s approval.
The move formally institutionalizes proposals previously raised during the ruling Civil Contract party’s electoral campaign. When pressed by reporters regarding the government’s allegations of “external forces” using the Church for hybrid warfare, senior ruling party officials pointed toward geopolitical pressures and past allegations involving senior clergy.
Source: OCP News Service.
Illustrative photo: pexels-valeria-drozdova-2148646707-35185014
